1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, more particularly to an electrical connector having a plurality of terminals each of which has a contacting portion and an inserting portion that is substantially perpendicular to the contacting portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a conventional electrical connector 10 which is so-called a "Box Header Connector". The conventional electrical connector 10 includes an elongated plastic housing 100 which is formed with two rows of terminal-receiving cavities. Each of the terminal-receiving cavities of the upper row receives a contacting portion 111 of an upper row terminal 11 which has an inserting portion 112 that is substantially perpendicular to the contacting portion 111. Each of the terminal-receiving cavities of the lower row receives a contacting portion 121 of a lower row terminal 12 which has an inserting portion 122 that is substantially perpendicular to the contacting portion 121. Each of the terminals 11, 12 is solid and is square in cross-section.
The terminals 11, 12 of the conventional electrical connector 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 have the following drawbacks:
1. The length of each of the terminals 11, 12 that extends out of the housing 100 is relatively long so that it is easy to be bent or damaged by an external force. It is especially true for the terminal 11 since the length between points a and b is much longer.
2. In order to prevent to be bent or damaged by an external force, the terminals 11, 12 must be strengthened by being solid and square in cross-section. Therefore, the manufacturing material for the terminals is increased and thus, the manufacturing cost is increased.
3. The alignment of the inserting portions 112, 122 of the terminals 11, 12 of the same row is difficult to be achieved since there is no reference point for the terminals 11, 12.